Best Worst Day Ever
by Safaia Bara
Summary: This is the day Bunny hates most. He just wants to ignore it and make it go away. But that won't happen with Jack around. Can Jack make Bunny hate this day a little less? Maybe even get him to enjoy it?


Hey, y'all! Here's another RotG fic. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians. The characters and story are the property of Dreamworks Animation and William Joyce.

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Best Worst Day Ever

E. Aster Bunnymund loathed this day above any other, even Christmas. It wasn't as an important day as Christmas (not that he'd ever let North know that Christmas was all that important to begin with), but it was a significant day to him.

Thankfully, Bunny had learned over the years that even though it was influential day in his life, he wasn't required to 'celebrate' it, or even really acknowledge it. So, for the past few decades, Bunny would take this day off to sleep and relax in his Warren, then find out how the day went from one of the other Guardians.

Too bad no one thought to tell this to Jack Frost.

It was a few hours before sunrise when Jack crept into the Warren in search of the Guardian of Hope. Today was a big day for both of them, so why not spend it in each other's company? He slunk behind the trees and hills before he found the entrance to Bunny's burrow. The inside, he noted upon entering, wasn't much. There was no grand foyer or large, ornate design. It was quite homey, actually.

The front room had a small seating area with a side table piled high with books, a small entryway off to the side that looked to connect to the kitchen, and a hallway, most likely leading to Bunny's bedroom. The only elegant item in the room was a large easel and canvas set in one of the corners. The easel had a golden gilded frame, and the canvas had a half painted picture that looked like beginnings of the sunset.

Jack passed by all of these things in search of his furry companion; it was almost time!

He found Bunnymund asleep in a nest a few rooms down the hall. He was facing the wall, bright green cotton sheets covering the lower half of his body. Well, that just wouldn't do. It was time for Bunny to get a wake up call. The winter sprite floated over to the nest and poked Bunny in the shoulder a few times with the crook of his staff.

"Hey, Cottontail, time to get up." Bunnymund just batted the stick away with his paw and pulled the blanket up over his shoulder.

Jack smirked, "Wakey wakey, Kangaroo." He pinched one of Bunny's ears between his icy thumb and forefinger and shook it.

The Easter Bunny swatted his hand away again and mumbled, "Go 'way. 'm sleepin'"

The teen chuckled to himself, "No, no Bunny. It's time to get up, silly rabbit." Jack grinned evilly. In a last attempt to wake Bunny up, he pulled the covers back to expose Bunny's small, fluffy tail. With a jolt of his staff, he sent a beam of ice at it. Direct hit.

Bunny yowled in shock and jumped out of bed, nearly banging his head on the ceiling.

"Wha' the bloody- Oi! Wha'd ya do that for, ya drongo!"

Jack outright laughed, rolling on the floor and holding his stomach. Bunnymund grabbed the back of the boy's hoodie and yanked him to his feet. He lifted Jack a few inches off the ground and glared at him.

"Well? Wha's the big idea?" he slurred. His voice was still laced with sleep, but it was obvious that he was irate.

Jack's chuckles died down, "We've gotta get a move on if we're going to meet Jamie and Sophie. Now, _hop_ to it, Kangaroo!"

"Wha' are you goin' on about, Frostbite? Why do you think we're meetin' the lil' ankle-biters? I'm stayin' righ' here, ya dill. Go away." He moved to lay back down, but was stopped by a shepherd's crook hooking around his waist and pulling him back.

"Uh-uh, Cottontail, we're going to meet Jamie and Sophie at Gobblers Knob in two hours, so we've gotta get ready."

"And why, pray tell, are we going there?" Bunny huffed and crossed his arms.

Jack grinned, "It's February second. Groundhog Day."

Bunnymund's eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously. "No, no way! There's no way your gonna get me ta go see that stupid groundhog."

Jack frowned in confusion, "Why not? Don't you wanna know if spring is coming early," he smirked, "or if I get six more weeks of fun."

Bunny growled, "I ain't goin'. Ya can't make me."

The winter sprite's lips turned down at the corners again as he walked around to look at Bunny. The spring Guardian had a sour expression on his face- he looked like he'd sucked on a lemon. Jack tilted his head to the side, "What's wrong, Bunny. Why are you so upset about this. I thought you'd like to see Sophie."

Bunny sighed and looked down at Jack, "I'd like ta see the little tyke again, but I don' wanna see that dag, Phil."

"Punxsutawney Phil? Why?"

"He's a useless, lying, no good rat." he answered simply. Jack still looked puzzled, "I dunno how many years that groundhog has lied about seeing that dang shadow of 'is just ta piss me off. He jus' wants ta see me suffer through six more weeks of winter since he knows how much I hate the cold."

Jack's brows knitted together, "I still don't understand, why would he do that?"

"'Cause he's a chook who's afraid of 'is own shadow. An' I told 'im so," Bunny chuckled, "I s'pose he didn' really like that."

Jack laughed, "I s'pose not," he mimicked. Bunny gave him a halfhearted glare but continued.

"That was 'bout a century ago. An' that hog can hold a grudge."

"But I don't get how he can lie about his shadow, though."

"Tha' little bugger has a secret power tha' almost no one knows about. He can change cloud patterns, so he can decide when he sees his shadow."

The winter spirit's jaw dropped. The groundhog could _do_ that? Then again, was _that_ really a stretch when the _Easter Bunny_ was six feet tall and wielded boomerangs and exploding eggs?

Jack was thoughtful for a moment before a wicked grin took over his face, "Hey, Bunny? How would you like to get back at Phil for all of those lies?"

Bunny could see the wheels turning in Jack's head and smiled, "Wha' did ya have in mind, Frostbite?"

* * *

"Mom! Sophie and I are gonna sit over by that hill, okay?"

"That's fine. Just be sure I can still see you."

Jamie gave his mom a mock salute and jogged off, his little sister in toe.

"Hey, Jack!"

"Easter Bunny! Hop hop hop!"

The two children ran up to their respective Guardians; Jamie squeezed Jack around his waist, while Sophie jumped into Bunny's waiting arms.

"You made it!"

Jack grinned, "Told ya we would be here, didn't I?"

It was still an hour before sunrise, so the children decided to take a quick nap before the groundhog appeared. Jamie laid down with his head resting in Jack's lap, his sister taking up residence in Bunnymund's lap.

"The little tyke is jus' too adorable for her own good," Bunny chuckled.

Jack smirked back at him, "They seem innocent now. You've never seen Jamie in a snowball fight. Kid's got a wicked arm."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. Springtime. Never thought I'd see your face around here, Bunnymund."

"Ah, rack off, ya bloody dag. I ain't got crap ta say ta ya." He turned to look at their unwelcome guest. Phil was about the size of Jack's head, with dark chestnut fur. His black eyes were beady and small, but non-threatening. All in all, he looked like a stuffed animal, really. He must have obviously slunk out of a back entrance to the burrow, seeing as none of the humans saw him.

"Oh, touchy, aren't we. If you're not here to see me do my magic, then why are you here Aster?"

Bunny grinned, "I was dragged here by this dill," he said, patting Jack on the shoulder, "He jus' had ta see your little show. I told 'im it was a waste of time, but he's a stubborn thing." He ruffled Jack's hair playfully.

The sprite huffed and batted Bunny's paw away with a grin.

Phil looked back and forth between the two of them in shock. "The spirits of spring and winter? Together?"

Jack smirked, "Yeah, way to state the obvious, Mr. Groundhog." Bunny snickered along with Jack.

Phil shook out of his daze and growled at the two, "What's wrong with you! You are supposed to hate each other. Bunny, you hate the cold. What's so funny?"

"You, ya dope. Jus' 'cause we butt heads sometimes don' mean we hate each other. If ya think tha', then your a few eggs short of an Easter basket. Your the only one I really hate."

The smaller mammal was visibly shaking with anger. No one called Punxsutawney Phil a fool, especially not that damn rabbit. Phil smirked evilly.

"I'll show you." was all he said before scurrying back into his burrow.

Bunnymund and Jack looked at each other, both wearing matching grins.

* * *

The sun was just rising over Gobbler's Knob as Jamie and Sophie ran to stand with their mother in front of Punxsutawney Phil's burrow. Jack and Bunny stood off to the side, watching and waiting.

The two Guardians looked up to see the clouds starting to part, a small ray of sunlight hitting just outside the entrance to the groundhog's burrow. As soon as Jack saw movement inside the hole, he flicked his wrist, making his staff jerk, and pulling the clouds back together. He was blocking out the sun again.

Phil looked around and caught sight of Aster and Jack before leaving the confines of his home. He gave them a smug smirk as he pattered out of his hole. His smile vanished, however, when he glanced down and saw…nothing. Where was his shadow? He looked up and saw the sun was being blotted out by the clouds. How? He made sure to create an opening before he came out of his burrow. His brow furrowed as he looked back at Bunny and Jack.

Both of them grinned at him, Jack waved his staff…which was glowing…

Phil growled. _He_ was doing it! _He_ blocked out the sun! But before he could lunge at them, he was picked up by a man who yelled out into the crowd,

"Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow! Spring is on its way!"

Once he was placed back on the ground, Phil glared daggers at the Guardians and huffed, slinking back into his burrow to sulk. Jack and Bunny waved so long to Jamie and Sophie before heading back to the Warren.

Once they were settled under a tree in Bunny's home, Bunnymund chortled, "Tha' was awesome, mate. It was good ta see him so pissed off. Thanks fer tha'" He looked at Jack and grinned, but it quickly slid off of his face at Jack's sad expression, "Wha's the matter, mate?"

Jack sighed, "I'm sorry. I really had fun doing this, and I'm glad I did, but what do I do now? Spring's coming early, so no more snow days for me. I kinda like it when Phil sees his shadow…well, I used to, anyway. Not after what you told me about the jerk. I usually spend the other three months by myself down in Antarctica, so it's nice to have an extra month and a half not being completely alone. It's so boring."

Bunny thought for a moment before grinning and ruffling Jack's snow white hair, "Hey, jus' 'cause spring's comin' early don' mean that winter's over yet. Ya still 'ave another good, wha', two or three weeks left ta go?" his smile widened, "An' I could use some help around here before Easter. As fer the other months, ya can always come down here fer a chat or somethin'. It's my off season, an' I wouldn' mind the company."

"Really?"

"Sure, so long as ya don' freeze up my Warren or anythin'."

Jack grinned wildly at Bunny. A large, innocent, child-like grin, "Thanks, Kangaroo."

Bunnymund glared at him, "Don' push it, mate. I can always take the invite back, ya know."

"But you wouldn't."

"Oh, wouldn' I?"

"Nope. You care about me too much to do that."

Aster wrapped his arm around Jack's neck and gave him a noogie, "Too right, I care 'bout ya. An' don' ya forget it."

After they pulled apart, Jack smirked, "So, what do you wanna do to Phil _next year_?"

* * *

Hahaha- I loved writing this! A little more Jack/Bunny bonding. I'm still a little worried about Bunny's accent, though…

Happy Belated Groundhog Day!

*SB*


End file.
